Careers Today Are Patchworks

Published on April 15, 2013

Freelancers make up a third of U.S. workers and Millennials will have 15 to 20 jobs over the course of their lives. To stay competitive in this economy, you will need to continually disrupt and reinvent yourself. And if you don’t believe in your own abilities, no one else will. You need to buy into your own story and define your identity.

This, of course, makes us all in the business of sales. We are selling ourselves, our skill set, our vision, every day — when we’re looking for a new job, angling for a promotion, meeting a new client, competing for new business, etc. And as any sales professional knows, you’ve got to use and love your product.

Recognize your gifts and talents, and own them. Hone them.

As Reid Hoffman (co-founder of LinkedIn/Paypal) notes in his essay, you need to “shape your identity or it will shape you“. “On a daily basis, the actions you take, the people you spend time with, and the principles you choose to defend will define your identity. Therefore, you should choose to construct an identity that signals to the world your core values and unique choices.”

Invest in yourself until you feel comfortable convincing others to do the same. Then go out and sell your value proposition to live up to your potential.